Police ID man wanted in snowball death

Police say they now have the name and face of the man who allegedly murdered 16-year-old Teven Rutledge for accidentally hitting him with a snowball.

Authorities are looking for Jose Omar Mendez, 24, whose last known addresses are Water Street near Cleafield in North Philadelphia and Eleanor Street near Rising Sun Avenue in Feltonville. He is suspected of shooting Teven on Sunday in Feltonville.

It was Teven's 15th birthday. He was removed from life support Monday. Later, friends and family held a candlelight vigil and sang "Happy Birthday," while police hunted for his killer.

"We've had a lot of cooperation from the Feltonville community, and we would like the whole community to continue that and help us to find this individual so we can bring him to a quick arrest," said Chief Inspector Keith Sadler.

Rutledge and his friends were having a snowball fight on D Street near Rockland when they hit a passer-by.

Sadler said there was no question that Mendez was the one who was hit by the errant snowball.

"They had words over it and he said that he would be back, and he came back with a gun and shot our decedent in the head," Sadler said. The incident transpired in a matter of minutes.

Mendez is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, 165 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

He is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with any information of his whereabouts is asked to call 215-686-TIPS(8477). *